Read-Up: An Elegant Blog Giveaway!

When I first saw Zuri Baby Couture’s website, I was awed by the brand’s fashion accessories for babies.  Their headbands, necklaces and shoes are to die for.  To think the list doesn’t end there. 

For those who have been regularly following my blog, you know that my bratinellas love dressing up - with their favorite tutu dresses, hair accessories and little ladies’ shoes.  So when I showed them Zuri’s line of accessories, I saw their eyes brighten while they were saying wow.

Here are a few of their lovely designs.  The full catalog of their designs can be found here:

What Is Best For Babies (and Mommies)

There is a photo that has been circulating all over the social networking sites about a mother who was nursing her little baby in front of an infant formula vendor’s booth.  That picture prompted a number of arguments about breastfeeding versus bottle feeding.  Some applaud this mother for making a bold statement over formula feeding while others felt that she has shamed women to ask about options, thus preventing their right to choice.

For one, breastmilk is known to be the most complete form of nutrition for babies – for their immunity, health, growth and formation.  Breastfeeding also forms a strong bond between the mother and child, which experts have stated helps make a more confident child…. Studies also show that mothers lose their pregnancy weight-gain faster when they breastfeed.  And hey, breastfeeding is free so it is cost-effective as well.

In defense of those who decide to bottle feed their infants, it is argued that with bottle-feeding, a mother knows exactly how much her baby intakes so she does not have to worry about accidentally under or overfeeding.  Proponents also contest that modern formula milk has at par nutrients with a mother’s breastmilk, so all the health benefits are amply provided.  In addition, the mother is given freedom to go back to her normal life, as fathers or older siblings can participate in feeding the newborn.

I am very interested to know how my readers feel about this.  I would like to know, which do you prefer best – breastfeeding or bottle-feeding?  

Watch out for my next post as this will be a poll on this topic.  You will surely like what we are giving away!

My Learning Tidbit: Childproofing My Home

It was another eventful evening.  My little girls were playing pretend, the bigger one was the doctor while the little one, Nemo, was the agitated patient.  Doing the general check-up, the doctor decided to clean her patient's ears with a cotton bud.  She ran to her grandma's room to get one and started cleaning.  Within seconds, pretend play was done and the little one cried and shouted real loud - the unmistakable pain evident.  

Since my husband and I work the afternoons, their grandma looks after them while we are away.  She made the nervous call to us because my little one's ear is bleeding and then she and my brother took off to the Emergency Room.  Hours after that, we were sent home with a anti-tetanus shot and an order slip to see an EENT specialist.

Scary.  We are bringing her today.  I pray her ear drums are intact and there are no serious damage on her ear.

You can take precautions to make our homes safer but it is also necessary to watch kids at all times.  My girls can be Houdini-apprentices sometimes.  They can do tricks while you're watching them and, if you're not at par with their speed, you'll realize they've done their magic tricks on you.

Childproofing is important.  Here are some tips to make our home safer for them:

• Scope out the Territory - It is important to take a child's view of your home.  What dangerous can they get?  What can interest them?  No one knows what entices them better than you.  If you can't childproof all the rooms, make sure they do not have access to those that are not.

• Secure Your Windows and Doors - Can they easily open them?  Is it easier to reach especially with chairs or tables around?  There are window and door guards to stop them from falling and accidentally pop them open.  

• Know Your Furniture and Appliances - You will be surprised at how children can innovate.  They can ladders out of drawers, "swimming pools" out of linens over hard floor, "trees" to climb on with furniture that are "strategically" together.  Bolt whatever you can to the wall.  Put heavier and bulkier stuff on the bottom shelves so they are harder to topple over.

• Prevent Drowning - Do not leave your children unattended in the tub, even if they are on a bath seat.  Drowning does not take a lot of water.  It only takes a few inches of water.  If they lose their balance while looking at our trusty ole timba (a bucket the Filipinos can't live without), they can fall and drown.  This can happen when they look at the toilet so latches are handy,

There are a lot more tips which can be found in this article that I saw in babycenter.  The key takeaway here is keep our homes safer while we watch our kids closely at all times.

~Rose

Zen vs. Road Rage

I want to believe that I am good at keeping my composure. Most times, I just let things slide. The worst thing you might hear from me is a hum, a sniff and it's like that awful things did not happen.

Then there are the not so frequent "Ohhh-I-so-want-to-punch-you-in-the-face" moments which instantly consumes my inner peace.  

This evening was one of those moments.  On our way home from Festival Mall, we were greeted by the biggest bottleneck in front of the Metropolis.  It's always bad there with all the cars, friggin' jeepneys and buses - all wanting to take a U-turn.

Let me try my best to help you visualize.  Think of a 6-lane road.  All of these roads have a fair mix of vehicles.  The first five lanes to the left then gets into a bottleneck going to the other direction to take a U-turn.

Everyone was boxing out the lanes to take that single U-turn slot.  It was mental!!  The bus to our right looked like it wanted to exchange paints because it was too close. If the driver sneezed, I would probably get his germs.  On top of that, people were crossing the street/leisurely riding the jeeps like it was the safest thing to do! Double-mental!!

So I got home with a huge headache and an equally awful body pain.  My husband wasn't exactly feeling giddy either.

Hummmm.... hummmm...

This tranquility is brought to you by my lavander-scented candle.

(Okay, so I had my favorite 400-calorie milk tea too but let's keep this as our little secret).

Do Not Open Until Christmas

 I remember one night, near Christmas, when a snowstorm blew down over Lake Erie from Alberta, Canada.  Those are always the coldest ones.  Canadian air in December will change what’s going on outside the window in a matter of minutes.  There is a howl as it rushes through the trees.  Branches creak.  Signs sway.  Dead leaves, dry and crisp, swirl in corners.

I was with my two brothers in an upstairs bedroom when it hit.  The topic of discussion?  Christmas vacation.  In Ohio it begins on the twenty-first, every year.  Two weeks without school, and new toys to play with.  It was still Matchbox for me back then:  the cars, the cities, the racetracks.  Oh and Milton Bradley had this really cool spaceship called the Starbird.  You wouldn’t believe the stories I could dream up around those things.  And come the twenty-fifth, I would have more set-pieces to use.  I wanted two weeks of that.

But when that clipper from Alberta came down, everyone stopped talking.  It hit the window like a fist.  Tony, the oldest brother, went to the glass and peered out.  Todd and I did the same seconds later.  The street—West Main Street—was empty, but shadows played everywhere over the blacktop as the trees shook and the streetlights swayed.  There was a storm coming.

There was a storm coming… so the three of us started doing something that lots of other people in the western hemisphere do during snowy nights at Christmas-time:  We started telling ghost stories.

A Quick Hello!

I would shout out that I am BACK (again) but, heck, saying that and blogging after 2 weeks would be embarrassing.  Heh.  So can I say I am back-ish and that I miss all three readers of my blog?  LOL!

It has been a crazy ride.  It still is actually.  From moving to a new house to surviving life  without a nanny to a crazy WFH  <--> looking after the kids while making sure the deliverable are covered.  It has been C.R.A.Z.Y!  I am happy we are surviving!

I can't tell how the whole experience has given me more patience.  Crazy drivers bother me less (it still happens, you will know in the next blog).  Series of unfortunate events hardly even moves me.  The universe does not conspire against me.  They are busy doing that to somebody else. 

Maybe I am being more patient... or maybe I am just doing great in mastering the art of tuning out. 

Anyhow... I hope to touch base more often now.  Sending you tropical cheers from the sunny Philippines.

Oh and hey, while we are on the subject, doesn't this feel true?  Somebody turn the A/C on!!

Not mine.  I saw this at the "I Love Philippines" FB page.

The Notebook -- Nicholas Sparks

Ever since we had our cable TV back, I've been catching up on my movies.  Prior to this, and just right having kids, I was left to watch ONLY cartoon films in the silverscreen.  My daughters always join us when we go out.  I know it's not entirely healthy relationship-wise but that's another topic to write about.

So this evening, I arrived home after the girls fell asleep.  I caught up with more chick flicks in WarnerTV.  Tonight, it was an adaptation of one of my favorite books.  The Notebook.  This is one of those movies that wasn't afraid to get the limelight from the published book.  I love both.  Of course, the book will always have a special space in my heart.

 but the movie is equally enticing.

Let's just say that the phrase "Take a Box Of Kleenex" isn't really applicable here.  If you are watching this (or reading the book) for the first time, be sure you have a bath towel handy.  You need that much to wipe the tears away.

The screenplay's a killer.  The lines melt and breaks your heart.

If you have not read the book, I suggest you do that first.  It is also a pain to not see this movie.  Go watch it.

With that, I leave you with my favorite line from the book:

“The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected. Maybe they always have been and will be. Maybe we've lived a thousand lives before this one and in each of them we've found each other. And maybe each time, we've been forced apart for the same reasons. That means that this goodbye is both a goodbye for the past ten thousand years and a prelude to what will come.” 

Happy weekend!